The Chess Problems Thread

[Kyng]

Yeah, I pretty much got that (although I wasn't certain whether or not the lines with two promoted queens were meant to stop there, or I was meant to continue looking for something more )

Interesting puzzle, though . Reminds me of the famous Réti endgame study (which I suspect might well be the one you were reading about !)

[Nick]

Taken from Kramnik-Karpov, Rapidplay, Frankfurt, 1999. Quotes taken from John Nunn in his Learn Chess Tactics:

White to play and win

Hint

"It isn’t obvious that the decisive point of White’s attack will be a queen fork from the square e2!"

Solution

1. Bxg7+! Kxg7 2. Nf5+ exf5 3. Rxe7 Nxe7

"A quick count shows that Black has a rook and two knights for a queen and a pawn, so he is actually one point ahead on material. Has all White’s brilliance been in vain? No, because White now played 4. Qe2, forking the two enemy knights. Black is unable to save them both and so, instead of being one point up, he will be two points down, almost always a decisive disadvantage."

[Kyng]

Took me a little while to spot that (and even then, I couldn't get the final fork without the hint ). 

Nice puzzle !

[Nick]

I'm a little upset with myself for having missed this one.

Black to play and win

Hint

I wouldn't call it an overloading problem per se, but the queen has to manage two responsibilities at once; taking advantage of this can lead to a winning pin.

Solution

[Kyng]

If it makes you feel any better, I didn't quite get it either . 

Spoiler

I saw the first move and the pin, but didn't quite get the right sequence of moves. I didn't see why I needed to capture the White knight (though I may have done had I bothered to set it up on a board ).

[Nick]

I found this one to be quite challenging.

Spoiler

hint

Find a way to take advantage of the queen's duty to protect the Black rook while remembering the Black rook is pinned.

Solution

[Kyng]

Didn't manage that one. I'm annoyed that I missed it, given how simple the position is  !

[Nick]

Didn't manage that one. I'm annoyed that I missed it, given how simple the position is  !

Spoiler

I saw 1. Qd4 and thought it was enough. I missed 1...Qa3

[Kyng]

Here's a fun one. White is heavily behind in material (he has only his King and his h-pawn, while Black has a massive army) - but, nevertheless, there's a way for White to force a win:



Did you spot it?

[Kyng]

Here's an interesting little endgame study:



There are only four pieces on the board (the two kings, a rook, and a pawn) - so it's not too hard to follow, but there is still quite a lot going on. I think it serves as a good introduction to the world of endgame studies, to people who haven't seen one before .